TIMMINS - Kaneisha Echum is championing resilience and representation in her bid for a national title.
Echum is one of the 20 contestants vying to be Miss Indigenous Canada 2025. She is representing the James Bay communities.
Born in Moose Factory and currently living in Timmins, Echum is a single mother and caregiver to her sister through the foster care system.
She works as a youth researcher focused on residential schools. She is actively involved in efforts to search for unmarked graves in Fort Albany First Nation, a task linked to St. Anne's residential school.
“It’s a heavy job, but I’m very passionate about it. The need for healing in our communities is urgent,” she said.
Echum’s personal experiences have shaped her advocacy, she said. Having faced homelessness at 16 and having spent time in the foster care system, she emphasizes the role of her culture in her life.
“Being part of my culture is what helped me get to where I am today,” she said.
During a layover in Toronto after visiting Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, located in Quebec near the Newfoundland border, Echum told TimminsToday about her brand, Made from Resilience.
“I brought a workshop of resilience that included jingle dress exhibition dancing, teachings on intergenerational trauma, and a sharing circle,” she said.
“My brand is all about giving back to my people. And that's what I want to do if I win Miss Indigenous Canada.”
In her role as a child welfare advocate with the Association of Native Child and Family Welfare Agencies of Ontario, Echum seeks to uplift Indigenous people and reconnect them with their cultural roots.
“I want to spread that healing energy, revitalize the culture within all of our communities, and create that space and that representation for Canada to see how beautiful our culture and our heritage is,” she said.
“And show that regardless of what we went through with the IRS or the ‘60s scoop, that we can overcome that, and that all it comes down to is being connected with our culture.”
Being selected for the pageant has Echum feeling imposter syndrome.
“I felt like I didn’t deserve it,” she said, reflecting on her upbringing in a small community where many are disconnected from their cultural identity due to the legacy of residential schools.
“But, at the same time, I have to remind myself that my experiences matter, and I need to be a role model for the younger generations," she said.
“The younger people, they’re the reason why I always try to shift my mindset into a positive way.”
The Miss Indigenous Canada 2025 pageant will is July 23-26, 2025, at Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario.
It is the second year the competition is being held.
Contestants are evaluated in categories such as interview and cultural presentation, which will make up the preliminary score. During the final show, the top-scoring contestants are judged in the final question competition.
According to the Miss Indigenous Canada website, it’s the only competition specifically geared to Indigenous women living in Canada.
Echum said having a competition like this take place in Canada is incredibly important.
“It’s crucial to have representation for our people,” she said, emphasizing the significance of empowering Indigenous women to voice their experiences and perspectives.
“When we share our stories, we create space for others to do the same. We all deserve to be heard.”
